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Preview: Getafe vs. Barcelona

Sports Mole previews Barcelona's trip to face out-of-form Getafe in La Liga this weekend.

Barcelona will be looking to keep the pressure on leaders Real Madrid this weekend as the La Liga title race continues to heat up.

It was only a month ago when manager Luis Enrique's position at the club came under real pressure following back-to-back defeats against Madrid and former club Celta Vigo. Since then, however, the Catalan giants have won their last eight matches to remain in contention on all fronts.

Last night's 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League ensured that top spot was secured in Group F, thus setting up a meeting with one of the competition's second-placed sides in the last 16, while things are also looking smooth domestically, too.

The omens are good for second-placed Barca heading into Saturday's visit to the Spanish capital, where they take on a Getafe side with just two wins from the last 20 meetings in this fixture.

Cosmin Contra's charges are firmly sat in mid-table at the moment, although if the Azulones can find their shooting boots a push up the table could be on the cards.

Only one side - Granada - have found the net on fewer occasions than Getafe this term, and that task will not be any easier against a Barcelona side boasting the division's best defensive record.

That said, having kept eight successive clean sheets at the start of the season, Enrique's men have managed just one shutout in their last eight in the top flight.

The good news for Barcelona is that their South American forward trio are fit and firing, with Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi each finding the net against PSG. In fact, Messi has returned to something close to his best form, scoring three hat-tricks in his last five outings for the club.

Elsewhere, Claudio Bravo and Jordi Alba are likely to return to the starting lineup, while the visitors, who have won just once in their last six league outings, are expected to start with Angel Lafita in attack.

Getafe:

Form in La Liga: LWDLLD
Form in all competitions: WDLLWD

Possible starting lineup: Guaita, Valera, Naldo, Velaquez, Escudero, Rodriguez, Lacen, Yoda, Michel, Hinestroza, Lafita

Barcelona:

Form in La Liga: LLWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Bravo, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Rakitic, Neymar, Suarez, Messi

Sports Mole says: 0-3


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Daniel Lewis
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Luis Enrique Martinez faces the media during his official presentation as the new coach of FC Barcelona at Camp Nou on May 21, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Villarreal177642928127
6Mallorca188371821-327
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Rayo Vallecano175661920-121
13Celta Vigo176382528-321
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1743101629-1315
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia162591424-1011


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